Berth mounting



Jan. 18, 1955 G. K. BRADFIELD, JR 2,699,556

BERTH MOUNTING z'sneets-sheet 1 Flled April 26. 1949 .V E Q w Q Jan. J8, 1955 G. K. BRADFIELD, JR 2,699,556

BERTH MOUNTING Filed April 26, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @Tra/@Vix United States Patent O BERTH MOUNTING George K. Bradield, Jr., Maywood, N. J.,

ACF Industries, Incorporated, corporation ot New Jersey Application April 26, 1949, Serial No. 89,763

1 Claim. (Cl. 5--10) This invention relates to berths and more particularly to vertically adjustable berths that can be stored adjacent a room ceiling.

Various types of means have been proposed for supporting vertically adjustable berths and usually some form of guide means is used between the berth pans and the room walls to provide stability. The guide means has been found to have the disadvantage of becoming jammed when off-center pressure is applied to the berth during vertical adjustment. As the berths are usually adjusted by an attendant, such jamming will occur unless lifting and lowering pressure is applied very carefully.

It is the object of this invention to provide a structure for supporting a vertically adjustable berth that will maintain the berth pan in horizontal position under all operating conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suspension structure for a vertically adjustable berth pan of a nature such that the pan will have maximum stability under all conditions of adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to provide hinged suspension structures at one side and both ends of a vertically adjustable berth pan that will fold into the top of the pan without interference when the pan is moved into uppermost storage position.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a railway sleeping car showing several bedrooms with upper berths in different positions.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a portion of one of the hinged supporting structures for a berth showing a spring actuator and a locking device.

Figzure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a berth pan and its supporting means.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section view of a berth pan and its supporting means in storage position in a room.

In the drawings, numeral designates a conventional form of sleeping car structure having a roof structure 11 including underframe 13, outer side wall 12 and transverse partitions 14 defining rooms 15, 16 and 17. In each room is mounted a vertically adjustable pan 18 that constitutes an upper berth. Although not shown, the rooms are usually provided with a seat and a hinged lower berth adapted to swing up against one of the partitions beneath the upper berth for storage.

The upper berth pans 18 are preferably formed of sheet metal and each carries a mattress and bed clothes (not shown). Jointed structures a, b and c suspend each pan from the roof frame 13 and generally are of similar construction although structure c is longer than structures rz and b. The pan supporting structures each comprise sheet metal sections 19 and 20 connected by hinge means formed of interiitting adjacent edge por tions reversely bent to form integral hinge leaves 9 that are joined together by pins 21. Sections 20 each have their lower edge portions 22 similarly bent to form a leaf interfitting with a hinge leaf 23, the leaves-being joined together by a pin 24. Hinge leaves 23 of the supporting structures a and b are iixed to the ends of the pans while the hinge leaves 23 of the supporting assignor to i lNew York, N. Y., a

2,699,556 Patented Jan. 18, 1955 ice structures c are fixed to the outer side walls of the pans. Sections `19 are connected with the roof structure by hinge means each comprising edge portions 25 of the section bent to form a leaf interritting with a leaf 26 and pin A27 joining the leaves together. Leaves 26 are xed to the roof structure. While the described form of hinge means is preferred, any other suitable hinge means may be employed.

The hinge means are such that the sections of each supporting structure will extend in vertical alignment when the pans are moved to their lower position for occupancy. Torsion springs 28 extend around the pins 21 and at their ends engage under tabs 29 struck from sections 19 and 20 of the supporting structures for the purpose of normally urging the sections inwardly of the pans as shown in room 16.

When the berth has been moved vertically to its lowermost position, as shown in room 15, latches 30 pivotally mounted on sections 20 of the supporting structures are moved to engage keepers 31 struck from sections 19 of the supporting structures to thereby lock the sections together in vertical alignment. When the berth pan is in its uppermost position adjacent the roof structure, it can be locked by brackets 32 suitably pivoted to the roof structure and engaging under bosses 33 formed on leaves 23 of the end supporting structures.

The supporting structure c at the side of the berth pan is of a maximum length to lie intermediate the innermost ends of the folded end supporting structures a and b. This relatively long supporting structure c together with the end supporting structures a and b provide stability so that the pan cannot tilt in any direction. Likewise, the pan is supported so that it cannot shift laterally in any direction. Thus, stability is obtained because pressure applied against the pan at any point will not tilt or laterally shift its position. The need of guide means is eliminated and it is not necessary for the attendant to apply pressure in a particular manner while adjusting the berth vertically.

The invention may be modified in various respects as will occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive use of all modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

In a railway car having a roof structure, the combination with a berth pan, of suspension means for movably supporting the berth pan from the car roof structure comprising, hinge leaf members forming in part hinge means fixed to the car roof structure above one side and the ends of said berth pan, hinge leaf members forming in part hinge means fixed to said one side and the ends of said berth pan in alignment with said firstnamed hinge leaf members, end and side pan supporting structures each comprising upper and lower sheet metal sections having their remote edge portions formed to provide integral hinge leaf members forming in part hinge means cooperatively interiitting, respectively, with said hinge leaf members fixed to said car roof structure and to said one side and ends of said berth pan, means cooperatively joining together said interiitting hinge leaf members, said upper and lower sheet metal sections also having their adjacent edge portions formed with integral cooperatively interfitting hinge leaf members, pin means cooperatively joining together said last-named intertting hinge leaf members to provide horizontally extending hinge means connecting said upper and lower sheet metal sections for inward folding and unfolding movement during raising and lowering of said berth pan, said upper sheet metal sections of the berth pan supporting structures being formed with integral keepers struck therefrom adjacent said horizontally extending hinge means connecting them to said lower sheet metal sections, and latch members pivotally mounted on said lower sheet metal sections of the berth pan supporting structures, said latch members being engageable under said keepers only when said sheet metal sections are suspended in extended relation wherebv said sections are locked together in substantially vertical alignment, said upper and lower sheet metal sections also each being formed with an integral tab struck from their said adjacent edge portions, torsion springs on said hinge pin means having their opposite end portions engaged 3 under said tabs and constantly urgingY said sections inwardly towards folded position, bosses projecting from said berth pan hinge leaf members, and pivotally mounted brackets depending from the car roof structure engageable under said bosses for supporting said berth pan in .raised position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED lSTATES PATENTS 21,600 Creighton Sept. 28, 1858 4 Starr June 14, Martel July 5, Plue Sept. 12, Heeter et al Apr. 1, Montgomery May 28, Longley June 23, Chapman Feb. 9, Kelly Vet al. Oct. 17,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 11, 

